Today is show and tell at Screenwriting from Iowa and I brought one of my Christmas gifts—a signed picture of Mark Steines from Entertainment Tonight. It was given to me by an editor I work with, Josh McCabe, who did an internship with Entertainment Tonight over the summer.
Having just mentioned that Jason Reitman’s new film Up in the Air features Dubuque, Iowa in a key scene you may be interested to know that Steines was born and raised in Dubuque. But before he became the co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight and started hanging out with Hollywood celebrities, he got his on-camera start in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area. A football scholarship brought him to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) where he graduated with a degree in Radio and Television.
He started as a cameraman here at KWWL and eventually found his in front of the camera as a sports reporter. That lead to opportunities at KSPR-TV is Springfield, Missouri and then to KCAL-TV in Los Angeles where he picked up two Emmy Awards. In 1995 he began work as a correspondent on Entertainment Tonight and since 2004 has been the host of the show along with Mary Hart.
While Steines paid his dues, learned his craft, and worked his way up the ladder like everyone else—it didn’t hurt that when he was starting out that he looked like Tom Cruise.
After Steines arrived in LA he also began studying acting that has provided various acting opportunities on TV programs. He also has a photography book out from pictures he took on a trip to Sierra Leone with Lighthouse Medical Missions earlier this year. Steines is one more example that even if you come from a place far from Hollywood (like Dubuque, Iowa) you can still make an impact in Hollywood. But like all that have gone down that road before, he was faithful in doing the little things.
Visit www.marksteines.com to learn more about his photobook, work & life.
Thanks Josh and Mark for the photo.
Screenwriting from Iowa 